The Red, White, and Green

When I was little, we had a Swedish babysitter. I’ll never forget her description of her first visit to an American supermarket: She stood in the packaged bread aisle for what seemed an hour, mesmerized by the sheer number of choices one had for making a sandwich — butter top white, whole grain with honey, Jewish rye, potato rolls… A whole aisle devoted to bread! she exclaimed. In her country, there were maybe one or two varieties.

As American consumers, the variety we have access to can certainly be seen as a blessing — it’s possible, after all, to find a product to fit any lifestyle — but it can also be incredibly overwhelming navigating the marketplace. Especially when it comes to making “green” choices. Which of the thousands of products lining the aisles of my local Target are really healthy for both me and the planet? Can I really trust an item’s claims that it is, in fact, “eco-friendly”?

I have a bit more insight into these questions than most, since I research green issues for a living, but even I don’t have the hours every day to scour the internet for the environmental pros and cons of every item on my shopping list. Which is why I was thrilled to discover that Ron and Lisa Beres, certified green building professionals and founders of the website Green Nest, have done the work for me with their new book, Just Green It! (Running Press, 2010).

The book outlines simple swaps you can make for greener products: Looking for an eco-friendly grill cleaner? Just flip to the “Home” section, and see that Simple Green is a safer choice than Easy Off. Want a healthier cookie for your kids’ lunches? Check out the “Your Family” chapter, and learn why you should pick up a pack of organic Newman-O’s over HFC-filled Oreos.

Pending baby’s arrival (due date was yesterday), I’ll be heading to the Just Green It! book launch party tonight, but you don’t have to meet Ron and Lisa in person to benefit from their sage advice (and painstaking research): Order your copy here.

–Jennifer Grayson

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The recession has cooled the coffee shop craze considerably (Starbucks has closed 900 locations since 2008), but Americans are still wasting nearly 10 billion disposable paper coffee cups each year. These cups aren’t even recyclable (minus the plastic lid), since the insides are coated with polyethylene to prevent leakage.

If you’re a coffee drinker, the solution is simple: bring your own mug. But what if you’re an eco-minded tea drinker, and shudder at the thought of a tea bag in a paper cup?

A couple years back, my brother-in-law brought me a reusable loose leaf tea diffuser from China, where tea is the national drink and even cabbies chug from delicate glass mugs with built-in mesh strainers. I adored it until I broke it (glass mug + ceramic sink = oops), and then spent the next year searching in vain for a similar model.

Until now — thanks to my recent discovery of Libre on-the-go tea glasses. The version I chose is virtually klutz-proof, thanks to a durable polycarbonate exterior and a glass interior; though the company also makes a glass-in-glass model for those blessed without butterfingers. Both are BPA-free.

Libre glass 'n poly; click on photo to view glass 'n glass on Libre website

Just add loose leaf tea to the attachable mesh filter, unscrew when you’re ready to drink, and go!

–Jennifer Grayson

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Photo via Flickr: Stevendepolo

It’s been awhile, but yesterday I had a serious green goof. I had ordered one of those bouncy rubber exercise balls from Amazon.com, only this one wasn’t rubber; it was advertised on the site as being latex-free.

For some time, I’ve been of the mind that latex-free = healthier, even though I’m not allergic to latex. I am, however, paranoid that I may one day develop an allergy, since studies have shown that people who are frequently exposed to latex (e.g., health care workers who wear gloves) are at higher risk for developing latex allergy.

And since latex allergy can be severe enough to be fatal, I usually figure: May as well avoid it when you can, right? Which why I went ahead and ordered that latex-free exercise ball, without giving it a second thought.

The ball arrived. But when I took it out of the package, I noticed it had a funny smell. I decided it probably needed to air out a bit, so I put it in the living room with the windows open. Fast-forward to the next day: I’m working at my desk in the living room, and all of a sudden I get a horrendous headache. And I notice that the smell from the previous day is still lingering.

I decide to email the manufacturer of the ball to find out what the materials are. The response: foamed PVC. Oops.

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is a toxic plastic that’s filled with dangerous chemicals, including dioxins, phthalates, vinyl chloride, and lead. It’s especially harmful to infants and young children, since their developing brains and bodies are more vulnerable to the endocrine-disrupting effects of these chemicals.

I was planning on using this exercise ball as my birthing ball for my “all-natural” birth.

Latex, on the other hand, may be a concern for some allergic people (less than 1 percent of the US population, actually), but it is, in fact, a natural — even eco-friendly — material. It’s made from the sap of rubber tree plants, and is completely biodegradable.

Next time I’ll research the materials before I order something. The ball is going back, by the way. I now have my eye on a PVC-free (and latex-free) one from EcoWise.

–Jennifer Grayson

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Photo via Flickr: IBRRC

Note: I touch on this briefly in my column for HuffPost about the BP oil disaster, but I wanted to highlight it again here, just in case you skip over this amazing tidbit of brazen irony.

You may have heard about how Proctor & Gamble is graciously donating thousands of bottles of Dawn dishwashing liquid to aid in the cleanup efforts for wildlife affected by the BP oil disaster. The company even touts its own generosity — which includes an additional $1 donation to wildlife rescue efforts per bottle sold — on the Dawn website:

For over 30 years, Dawn has been doing its part to help save wildlife. From donating funds to important conservation projects to giving Dawn dishwashing liquid to clean wildlife affected by oil spills, Dawn knows there are lots of ways to get involved with the cause.

So nice, right? Well, here’s the rub: Dawn dish soap — the very stuff used to “gently” remove oil from the feathers and fur of toxic sludge–coated creatures — is, itself, made from oil.

Dawn, like most conventional dishwashing liquids, contains petro (read: oil) chemical-based detergents, emollients, and fragrance. The website, not surprisingly, doesn’t specifically reveal which ones, but it does provide a link to a wholly generic list of ingredients commonly used in hand dishwashing products.

Since the most this list offers up is terms like “surfactants” and “mildness additives,” I can only be left to assume that the soap could contain toxic petroleum byproducts like alkylbenzene sulfonates and 1,4-dioxane. Of course, these are only educated guesses; there are thousands of industrial chemicals floating around out there, but who knows which ones: Federal law does not require companies to list them on their products, nor conduct any sort of tests to determine if they’re safe.

Want to really help save wildlife from oil spills? Ditch the Dawn for a plant-based dish soap like Seventh Generation. If every household in the US replaced just one bottle, it would save 81,000 barrels of oil a year.

–Jennifer Grayson

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Photo via Flickr: Jurvetson

Earth Day may have reached an all-time publicity high this year, but the public’s outlook on the state of the planet is still pretty grim: According to a CBS News poll, roughly one in two Americans thinks the environment will be in worse shape for the next generation. (Interesting note: That’s roughly the same split between Americans who believe in global warming and those who don’t.)

I’m no Pollyanna. I do think the world is going to be a remarkably different place to live even a few decades from now, and not for the better. But before I go all Debbie Downer on you — especially since you already may be feeling a bit of the post-Earth Day blues — I thought it would be helpful to highlight some encouraging environmental progress that you may not be aware of:

Buh-bye, BPA. With five states restricting toxic chemical bisphenol A and a federal ban currently under consideration, companies are starting to feel the heat: General Mills has announced it will remove BPA from the can linings of its Muir Glen tomato products, while Coca-Cola is facing a shareholder challenge on the issue.

Light bulbs that last. You’ve probably heard about Australia’s incandescent light bulb ban, but did you know that traditional bulbs are being phased out in the United States as well? The lighting market has already shifted in anticipation; compact fluorescents seem to be taking up most of the shelf space in my local Walgreens these days.

Energy Star stepping up. Earlier this week, the Environmental Protection Agency announced its new, more stringent guidelines for homes that earn the Energy Star label (and the accompanying tax credits): The new requirements will make homes at least 20 percent more efficient.

–Jennifer Grayson

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Photo via Flickr: Beth Nazario

Well, it’s official: Maryland has become the fifth state to ban the use of toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in children’s products, including baby bottles and sippy cups. Governor Martin O’Malley signed the bill into law on Tuesday, after the legislation passed unanimously in both chambers of the General Assembly earlier this year.

Aside from being a political victory for eco org Environmental Working Group, whose experts testified before both Maryland Senate and House of Delegates committees in support of this legislation, it’s also a personal one: EWG President Ken Cook is a Maryland resident, and has a 2-year-old son. (I’m sure Mr. Cook is very diligent about buying BPA-free products for his family, but I’ll bet it’s nice to know that his fellow parents will have some peace of mind.)

Other states with BPA bans include Connecticut, Minnesota, Washington state, and Wisconsin. The city of Chicago, as well as three counties in New York state, have also passed restrictions as well.

The Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2009, which would restrict BPA in canned food and other packaging at the federal level, is currently in committee in both the House and Senate.

–Jennifer Grayson

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[Learn about TerraCycle on YouTube]

There’s nothing like shelf placement by a mass market retailer to bring an eco-friendly product from the fringe to the mainstream. When Target started carrying Method cleaning products in 2004, the biodegradable and nontoxic household cleansers stood out like a sore green thumb against the bleach- and chemical-filled landscape; now, every brand name from Clorox to Windex comes in a natural, plant-based version.

Will post-consumer content king TerraCycle‘s upcycled products have a similar influence now that they’ve hit the shelves of every Walmart store in the US? If style is being judged alongside substance, then I’m betting that the line — which will be available through April 29 — will be a big hit.

Several standouts:

Cheetos eco-kite. The world’s first standard delta kite made from recycled food wrappers. Other “flavors” available.

Skittles lunch tote. Other accessories bags include backpacks, purses, and camera bags made from everything from M&M bags to Capri Sun drink pouches.

Rold Gold pencil case. Is this pencil case making you thirsty? The perfect eco-friendly school accessory, made from upcycled snack food packaging. 

Candy wrapper notebooks. Loaded with recycled notebook paper and available in a host of bright candy wrapper colors.

To make sure Walmart customers get the whole “trash to treasure” concept, the more than 60 different upcycled beauties will be sold alongside the original items from which they were made. Kind of takes a bit of the guilt out of buying a bag of chips…

–Jennifer Grayson

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For those who missed last week’s post about the gorgeous green school and office supplies now available on the O’Bon website, here’s your second chance: I’m giving away an O’BONanza A5 notebook of your choice to the first three readers who share that original post with their pals on Twitter (just be sure to add @jennigrayson so I can see your Tweet).

Each colorful notebook features a luscious fruit design printed with soy-based inks, as well as 80 sheets of sustainable sugarcane-bagasse paper. Who knew taking notes could be so delicious?

Thanks to the generous folks at O’Bon for this giveaway. And if you’re too late for this one, don’t fret — you can stay abreast of other freebies and specials by following O’Bon on Twitter.

–Jennifer Grayson

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I’ve worked hard to eliminate most plastics from my daily existence. Health concerns are a part of it; we really don’t know the cumulative effects of plastic packaging additives like bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates. I also can’t reconcile using a material that is made from fossil fuels, or that takes thousands of years to break down in a landfill, or that pollutes Texas-sized swaths of the ocean — even if that material is recyclable. Thus, I’ve swapped plastic grocery bags for canvas totes, Tupperware for Pyrex, and the occasional bottle of water for my trusty Klean Kanteen. And at my next doctor’s appointment when I need blood drawn, I’m going to request glass collection tubes instead of the traditional plastic. (Kidding! There are some instances where plastic is still necessary.)

There is one plastic product, though, that I’ve recently started using, because I think the eco pluses far outweigh the eco negatives, and that’s Debbie Meyer Green Bags. I know they’ve been around for some time, but I never considered using them because: a) they’re made of plastic and b) I generally don’t trust anything sold via infomercial. But the last time I saw my stepmother-in-law, she showed me the still-crunchy two-week-old celery in her fridge courtesy of Green Bags, and I decided to give them a try.

What a difference they’ve made! How much money I’ve saved! I used to have to throw away half of my farmers market purchases. (The run-of-the-mill fridge that came with my apartment seems designed to turn carrots into rubber within hours, even in the “crisper” drawer.) Now, my produce lasts for weeks, and nothing ever gets wasted. I also find that I’m eating more fruits and veggies, since I can buy more and not worry about it all spoiling.

Yeah, Green Bags are plastic, but they are recyclable; you can also reuse each of them up to 10 times. And considering that 40 percent of all food in the United States is thrown out — making food waste one of the largest contributors to climate change (thanks to all that methane once it rots in the landfill) — I consider Green Bags a necessary trade-off.

Debbie Meyer, I don’t know who you are or why your name has to be on the box, but thank you.

–Jennifer Grayson

Do this now: Click here for more tips on how to stop wasting food.

Related posts:
The Dasani PlantBottle: Can you feel less guilty about drinking bottled water?
Why aren’t Angelenos using those green bins?

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Whenever a company sends me a new green product to test out, I instinctively want to like whatever that product is. It’s like a casting director auditioning actors: I don’t want you to suck; I want you to come in and blow me away with that special something so that my job is easy.

So when the folks at Activeion Cleaning Solutions were kind enough to send me a brand-new Ionator HOM to try, I really wanted this to be the miraculous breakthrough in chemical-free cleaning that the company avowed it to be. After all, who wouldn’t want a device that ionizes tap water to become a mean, green, degreasing machine, allowing you to sparklingly clean every surface of your home, not to mention kill 99.9 percent of harmful bacteria and the H1N1 virus? So I used it to clean my apartment not once, but twice — waiting a whole week in between cleanings (and for my place to get dirty again) so that I could give the thorough review this kind of cutting-edge technology deserved.

So after all this, how did the Ionator do? Well, let’s just say it had a less than stellar performance. Here’s the lowdown:

Along with the Ionator, I used two other “cleaning” solutions to act as comparisons: my favorite store-bought green cleaner, and a spray bottle that I filled with regular tap water. While the Ionator did an adequate job cleaning surfaces like my kitchen table (lacquer), my bedroom nightstands (wood), and the bathroom sink (tile), here’s the rub: In every instance, the results were identical to that of the spray bottle filled with plain tap water.

What’s more, neither the Ionator nor the control bottle were as effective as the green cleaner at these simple tasks, and mysteriously left behind a trail of lint from my cloth rags with every wipe (something the green cleaner doesn’t do). And when it came to tougher tasks, the Ionator didn’t stand a chance: Mirrors were left a foggy, streaky mess; soap scum didn’t budge from the tile in the shower; and my glass nightstand lamps still felt dirty to the touch once the water had dried.

Of course, third-party lab testing shows that the Ionator, in fact, is a highly effective sanitizer, but you would never know it from the sight of your home after you’ve cleaned with it. I’m sorry to say, but if you want a cheap, chemical-free, highly effective cleaning solution — not to mention one that doesn’t require electricity and isn’t made of questionably recyclable materials — pass on the Ionator and its $169 price tag, and invest in a box of baking soda, a bottle of white vinegar, and some lemons.

–Jennifer Grayson

Do this now: Baking soda and vinegar to DIY for your taste? Look for cleaners that are free of ammonia, chlorine, triclosan, petroleum, phosphates, and artificial fragrances.

Related posts:
Product review: Arm & Hammer Essentials
Just add water

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